The present disclosure relates to methods and devices for use in endoscopic surgery, in particular to methods and devices for suturing tissue to construct an anastomosis.
Technical Field
Numerous surgical procedures have been developed to replace veins and arteries that have become blocked by disease. As a result of aging and/or disease, veins and arteries may become blocked by plaque deposits, stenosis, or cholesterol. In some instances, these blockages can be treated with artherectomy, angioplasty or stent placement, and coronary bypass surgery is not required. Coronary bypass surgery may be required when these other methods of treatment cannot be used or have failed to clear the blocked vein or artery. In coronary bypass surgery, a vein is harvested from elsewhere in the body and grafted into place (i.e., between the aorta and the coronary artery) beyond the point of blockage by constructing an anastomosis.
Coronary bypass surgery requires a length of vein or artery for the graft. It is preferred to use a vein taken from the patient undergoing the bypass surgery, because they will not likely be rejected by the body after transplantation and grafting onto the aorta and coronary artery.
The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) is often harvested for coronary bypass surgery. However, the saphenous vein in the leg is also a good substitute for small veins or arteries such as the coronary arteries, and is often used in coronary bypass surgery. The cephalic vein in the arm is an alternative that is sometimes used.
Typically, sternotomy is utilized in coronary bypass surgery where harvesting and suturing is done by hand. However, sternotomy is a highly invasive procedure requiring extended recovery time.
Endoscopic procedures, such as thoracoscopy, enable a clinician to construct an anastomosis in an operation that requires only a few small incisions, and increases the patency of the vein. Endoscopic surgical techniques for operations such as gall bladder removal and hernia repair are now common. The surgeon performing the operation makes a few small incisions and inserts long tools, including forceps, scissors, and staplers into the incision and deep into the body. Viewing the tools through an endoscope, or a video display from an endoscope, the surgeon can perform all the cutting and suturing operations necessary for a wide variety of operations. The procedures are also referred to as endoscopic surgery, laparoscopic surgery, minimally invasive surgery, or video-assisted surgery. References to endoscopic surgery and endoscopes below is intended to encompass all of these fields, and all operations described below with reference to endoscopes can also be accomplished with laparoscopes, gastroscopes, and any other imaging devices which may be conveniently used.
Minimally invasive procedures for vein removal have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,840 shows a method of cutting the saphenous vein at one end, and grasping the vein with graspers or forceps, then sliding a ring over the vein while securing the vein at the same time.